Highway marker



oct. 8, 1940. H, G. MEIGS 2,217,125

H IGHWAY MARKER Filed sept. e, 193s 2 Sheets-sheet l 9/8 Hf 20' A224 ,z f ATTORNEYS l INVENTOR i "IIIII/ ll/ HENRY G. MEIGS Oct. 8, 1940. H. G. Males 2,217,125

' HIGHWAY'MARKER Filed Sept-6. l1938 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HENRY G. MEI CTS.

UNITED STATES `PA'rENT] OFFICE HIGHWAYMABKEB.

Henry G. Meigs, west Allis, wis. Application September 6,1938, Serial No. 228,578

This invention' relates to' improvements in highway vmarkers. The present application is a continuation in part -of my application No. 45,450 nled October 17, 1935, now Patent 2,151,277.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective reflecting sign which may be made,from sheet metal having a reflecting surface in the form of a symbol and so arranged as to yield throughout an appropriate angle of view a reflection of approximately uniform bril-'- liance renderingA the symbolic form parent without glare.

vIn hundreds of experiments I have demonstrated that the shape and proportions of a reflecting symbol satisfactory in the foregoing particulars are extremely critical. `Such symbols are ordinarily placed beside a highway, at varying distances from the center of the road. They may be located on a curve or on a straight section of the road. They may be located' on a level stretch of road or on either side of 'a hill. To

` serve their purpose they must be visible at'a substantial distance and they must remain visible until the approaching vehicle gets very close to the sign. Yet the distant vision cannot be 'achieved in such a way that the symbol will have its outlines obscured by glare when the observer is close. All of this must ordinarily be achieved in a manner such that the symbol will function by iight renected solely from the headlamps of the vehicle in which the observer is riding.

` I have found that the only way in vwhich .all objectives of a highway marker can successfully be achieved involves a structure in which the entire surface of the symbol is substantially uniformly treated to provide beads or craters of well defined depth and spacing and curvature. YIt is important to the desired result that-instead of beingarranged in rows at right angles to each other. the cratersshould be.\ rranged in 4rows which intersect.V at. an Aangle of degrees,l whereby the craters have a hexagonal pattern, each single crater (except at the borders of the symbol) being surroundedby six other craters. It is also important to note that the surface of the symbol between the craters is not planiform but is slightly convex. These convex surfaces con-` the observer approaches the symbol and hisl angularity with respect to its surface becomes more acute, due to its position beside the road,

-clearly ap- (civic-(125) the reection from the convex surfaces of the symbol becomes less brilliant and the reiiection from the concave surfaces of the symbol becomes more brilliant in substantially the same degree `whereby the brilliance of the symbol remains substantially constant and free of glare at all points.

A preferred mounting for the symbol and other objectives of the present disclosure will be made apparent hereinafter.

In the drawings:

1 is a front elevation of a symbol having a portion of its surface completed to illustrate a typeof reecting surface embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged detail view in front elevation showing a portion of the reflecting .surface of `such a symbol as that illustrated in' Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a .greatly enlarged cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. -4 is a similarly enlarged detail view in crosslsectin taken online 1 -4 of Fig. 2.

Fi .5,is a front elevation of a mounted vsymbol on its target plate and post.

Fig. 6 is a detail view taken in section on 6--6 of Fig.'5. K-

Fig. 7 'is a detail view taken in section on line 1,-1 of Fig. 5*. 1 l

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing a modied type Ofsupporting post f to which the same mounting arrangement is applied.

l Fig.19 is a w similar to Fig.'6 showing a modified-type o symbol backing.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of a highway showing a preferred relation` of the mounted 1 symbol thereto. e e Like parts are identified by the same reference.

characters throughout the several views.

I shall first descrlbethe improved reflecting surface which I have devised in order to produce y a 'brilliant and sharply outlined symbohwhich will maintain its brilliance throughout the range of View for which it is adapted and will not glare at any distance.

The reflecting surface shown at I5 in Fig. 1 -preferably has the outline of the desired symbol, in this'case a curved arrow. It may be cast, stamped or'formed in any desired manner to provide a; very specific type of configuration which IV have found to be very important in the production of the desired result.

In order to provide the desired surface I prefer to stamp a thin sheet I6 of material betweentwo dies, or one die and a matrix-of rubber or the like. to produce therein a series of pits or craters 2 I1 whichhave a highly critical ratio of depth to spacing and diameter. In thesizes in whichA highway symbols are ordinarily made, and for most other purposes, I have found that the diam- 5. eter may range from 5" to the preferred diameter being 'f". The depth of each crater froni the original plane of the sheet i'n which it is formed is preferably .014", but its overall depth, Hdue to the convex forming of the sheet intermediate the craters, is Vpreferably 0.18".

The bottom area I8 of each crater is preferably ooncaveon a 21/2"'radius over an area of .067 radius, and the side portions at I9 are concave on a radius of 116", gradually merging into the l5 intervening convex surface 20 which is made on a radius of .187. These preferred dimensions andA radii are indicated on the drawing in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 3 I have shown at the left the relative position of the sheet I6` prior to the forming of the concave and convex surfaces therefrom.` It

will-be noted `from the foregoing that the bottom I8 of the crater I1 is preferably .014" below the surface ofthe original sheet, and the top of theintervening convex surface 20 is .004

above the level of the original sheet. The total `Width of each crater I1 is preferably 7/32"and the space between centers of adjacent craters on the shortest possible dimension is preferably .686"

It is particularly to be noted that the pits or craters I1 are set in rows on lines which are preferably not at right angles to each other but are drawn at about 60 degrees, as clearly shown both in Figs. 1 and 2. As a result of this arrangement any pit taken as a center will be found to have six pits or craters surrounding it, and a dng surface Iii; Chromium plating is well adapted to withstand the weather, but I may also use other plated or naturally reecting surfaces such, for example, as the aluminum alloys known as Alzak and Alco1ite..

50 While the dimensions herein furnished may be somewhat changed and still give good results, I have found it undesirable tomake' any substantial change even in dimension. Moreover, where dimensions are changed the proportions herein disclosed should be maintained substantially con- Even the bumng 'of' a chromium plated stant. surface may, if carelessly^done, alter'the characteristics of the symbol to such an'extent that the flattening of the normally convex surfaces at oo 20 will increase the brilliance of the signwithin a narrow angle of reflection but will decrease the angle through which the sign will have the desired degree of brilliance, thus decreasing its effective angle of use.

I have found that at substantial distances from a highway marker made in accordance with Vthis invention, the largest proportion of the reflecting effect is produced by the areas 20. Due to the slight convexity of such areas the reflection is 'I0 maintained brilliant as the observer. approaches the sign, until nally the reflection observed is almost solely attributable to the concave pits or craters. If the proportions above indicated are followed there will beno intervening point at 15 which vreflection will be sharply reduced.

'While the design of the reecting surface herein disclosed is such as to produce a continuously brilliant eect'as the observer approaches the symbol, and while the angle through which this brilliant reflection is observable is a substantial angle, nevertheless the best results require that the symbol should bear'a predetermined relation to the highway. In Fig. 10 the highway is indicated at 2 2 and'a target plate'23 bearing my improved reflecting symbol is so disposed beside the highway as to deviate by approximately 2 degrees from a line at right angles to the highway. With the general plane of the reflecting surface at approximately 88 degrees to the center line of the highway, a maximum useful range of brilliant view of the symbol will be provided approximately between the points A and B upon the highway. i

'The target plate 23 is conventionally provided with a, reinforcing bead at 24 just within its margin. I prefer that a similar bead should be used at 25 to outline the space to be occupied by the symbol I4, thus providing a shallow recess or-pocket within the bead into which the symbol ts. I fold inwardly upon themselvesA at 26 the margins of the sheet I6 constituting the symbol, and secure the symbol to the target plate 23 by rivets 21, thus eliminating the shoe 28 which 'is shown'in Fig. 9 and is sometimes used to reinforce the symbol I 4.

In order that the target and symbol may be adjusted to the preferred angle shown in Fig.v l0 upon a post previously set, I prefer the improved mounting parts shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. Each target plate 23 is preferably formed to provide integrally a cylindrical. channel of rectangular outline in elevation, the arcuate curve of the back of the channel extending transversely of the post as indicated at 30 in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. There is such a channel at'the bottom as well as the top of the target. The arcuately curved surface of the channel is transversely slotted at 3| to receive a lag screw or bolt 32 or 33.

Behind the channel is block 34 having av concave surface complementary to the channel and provided preferably with lugs at 35 which, in case a wooden post 36 is used, will be pressed into the wood, `andin the event that a metal channel post 31 is used, will embrace the outside of the post to prevent the block from turning. The block is centrally apertured to receive the securing bolt or screw.

Within the channel is a block 38 in the form of a cylindrical sector complementary to the inner concavesurface of'the channel 30. This block likewise has an aperture for the .bolt or screw.

Between the blocks 34 Aand 33 the target plate 23 may be shifted as to angle throughout the substantial range of adjustment permitted by the transverse slot 3| therein.

`In the section Illustrated Fig. 3 the con? and equally brilliant illumination within its entire outline.

In accordance with the disclosure of my Pat- Ythe symbol appear to have uniformly distributed 2,217,125 ent No. 2,076,907, the symbol is preferably provided with a 'non-reflecting .darkened border at 40, but it will be understood that this is not essential. The reflecting surfaces which are almost planiform but slightly convex, should not be sub. stantially in excess of 25% of the total convex rea between the craters.

I claim: c

1. A reflector comprising a member having a reflecting surface provided at substantially regularly spaced intervals with concave, shallow, circular pits in substantially hexagonal patterns, said reflecting surface having a sinuous portion substantially continuous and slightly rounded vconvexly between said pits and merging with the concave surfaces thereof.

2. A reflector comprising a member having a reflecting surface provided with concave craters of diameters of the approximate order of 5%" to 3% and depths of the approximate order of .014" to .018", said craters b eing arranged in substantially hexagonalv patterns at substantially regular spacings of the general order of .686" in rows intersecting at 60 degrees, the said surface having a continuous and only slightly convex portion between said craters.

3. A reflector comprising a memberhaving a reflecting surface whereof at least seventy-five percent of the area comprises circular craters regularly spaced in rows intersecting at sixty degrecs to form hexagonal patterns, the remaining surface being continuous and slightly convex between said craters, eachsuch crater comprising a shallow concavity ranging in diameter approximately between and and approximating .018" in depth with its bottom reflecting surface relatively slightly' concave on approximately a 21/2" radius and i-ts side more sharply concave on approximatley 116" radius gradually merging with an annular surface convex on approximately .187 radius merging in turn with the slightly convex surface intervening between said craters.

4. A reflector comprising a'membe'r having a reflecting surface including at spaced intervals a multiplicity of shallow; concave and substantially circular pits, said surface having portions of substantial areaI extending continuously and sinuously between said pits and slightly rounded convexly toward and merging. gradually with the concave surfaces of the respective pits.

5. In a device of the character described, a

reflector having a reilecting portion of its surface formed in the outline of a symbol and provided throughout' said portion with substantially circular craters arranged in uniformly spaced relation in hexagonal patterns on lines intersecting at approximately 60 degrees, said craters comprising shallow concave depressions and said reflector having between the respective craters sinuous intervening areas slightly convex and continuous about the respective craters, each of said craters having a diameter between 2" andV if" and a total depth from said convex areas of the approximate order of .018".

6. A light reflecting sign of sheet material comprising a single ply blank of relatively rigid and durable sheet metal provided with a continuity of circular offset surface elements of very shallow I concavely curved contour closely arranged .in spacedrelationship with only narrow sinuous and very slightly convex surface areas extending continuously between said offset concave surface elements, said sheet material having a light reflecting surface on the entire face toward which said offset elements are concaveand on which said sinuous areas are disposed, said a'reas constituting means for distant reflection and said elements reinforcing the sheet and constituting individual reflectors sensitive to illumination over a wide range of angles.

7. A reflecting symbol of the class described, comprising a reflector having a definitely demarcated outline in the predetermined form of a signiilcant symbol and provided within said outline with areflecting surface formed to provide shallow pits or depressions and an intervening sinuous slightly convex -area continuous about said pits and almost flat to provide for distant reilection, said pits or depressions being spaced substantially uniformly'from each other in a'denite and approximately hexagonal pattern and being generally circular in form with their bottoms only slightly concave and their sides convexly merging into said sinuous intervening areas, the size and arrangement of the pits being such that in no direction on said surface does said sinuous area extend rectilinearly between said pi-ts, whereby vthe-signiflcant form and outline of the reflector is brilliantly apparent without glare at a wide range of angles respecting the path of light thereto.

HENRY G. MEIGS.

"Pa'fet should 'befre'ad with this `c'iorzvectflfoxrtsher'x-x that the same may icon--` form-'t9 'th recordrf the-'case 1n' the Patent qffice; 

